Gala Blues Party: Moa Anbessa | Soft Wax | Youthsayers

Put on your dancing shoes for a night paying homage to the Blues Dances of the Windrush Generation. Expect jump-jive, up-tempo r’n’b, calypso, ska and reggae from legendary selectors Moa Anbessa, Soft Wax and live music from young-lions, Youthsayers.

Period appropriate dress and dancing encouraged!

Moa Anbessa

Moa Anbessa are a classic, late 70s, deep roots collective. This session will feature foundation members Man Fi Bill and Wolfman digging deep into their Rasta reggae vinyl collections to play a set inspired by their own childhoods.

Moa Anbessa stopped regular gigging in the early 80s, despite their enormous popularity. We are therefore incredibly privileged to have them play here at Poplar Union for this one off special.

Soft Wax

Soft Wax (aka Steve Wax) has been a Zelig-like figure in the sphere of roots rock rebel music for several decades. Soft Wax is resident selector of the Deptford Dub Club, since early 2014.

Youthsayers

Youthsayers are a collective of young instrumentalists whose performances of Afro-beat, ska, reggae and dub influenced music have graced the Southbank, RichMix and Germany’s Fusion Festival.
Based in Brixton’s Raw Materials, the group is run by professional musicians and teachers from the band Soothsayers.

This event is part of Soft Wax’s Windrush Generation Installation: a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush and a celebration of the people who have become known as the Windrush Generation. The exhibition runs from Saturday 7 – Sunday 15 July 2018.